Indian River teachers getting raises

Indian River County public school teachers will soon be taking home bigger paychecks.

On Tuesday, school officials announced teachers would receive their step raises for 2011-2012, retroactive to July 1 of last year. Teachers haven't earned step increases — incremental raises built into a salary schedule based on experience — since 2009.

The district and teachers union were scheduled to have a grievance hearing Wednesday over the matter, which was cancelled.

The cost of giving teachers the increase is about $860,000.

District officials and teachers continue to negotiate the 2012-2013 contract.

In February, School Board members unanimously sided with Schools Superintendent Fran Adams' recommendation to eliminate automatic raises and bonuses from the Communications Workers of America Local 3180 contract. Between 2008-2012, the district's bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians received $6.6 million in raises and bonuses because of language mandated in the union contract though teachers had not gotten a raise based on the step salary schedule in three years.